Microcredit programmes turn many women self-employed

RAJSHAHI, July 22, 2017 (BSS)- Many women both rural and urban are getting privileges of becoming self-employed through various microcredit programmes in the district.

Moreover 3,500 women were brought under the programmes and they were given loans worth Taka 2.46 crore along with requisite training till June last, said Shahnaj Begum, District Women Affairs Officer.

After getting the loans and training, the beneficiary women are now engaged in multifarious income generating activities including sewing, boutique, embroidery, food processing, modern packaging and shopping bag preparation and beautification.

Besides, grants worth Taka 65.40 lakh were distributed among 374 voluntary women organisations for improving living and livelihood condition of the women. Through their own training centres, each of the organisations is imparting life-skill development training to the respective women for their socio-economic development.

With this venture, many underprivileged and distressed women have become self-reliant in the region contributing a lot to the society in many ways.

With training and financial support from the government they established tailoring and boutique houses and running their business successfully.

“We have founded ‘Angona Boutique and Fashion’ and it’s being operated by our Angana Mohila Samity successfully making more than 100 women income-generator,” said Iffat Ara, director of the samity.

“We have linked around 50 women with skill development training for their livelihood,” said Anwara Begum, President of Dashmari Distressed Women Welfare Association.

After completing their training they are doing block, boutique and embroidery works in their respective areas and many of them attained their long-cherished economic emancipation.

Anwara Begum told BSS that the boutique houses were established and operated with assistance of District Women Affairs Office.

The office is implementing a project titled “Women Skill-based Training for Livelihood” in order to make the underprivileged and neglected women especially divorcee, widow and financially backward self-reliant.

Under the project, the targeted women are given three-month training on various trades like sewing, block-boutique, embroidery, beautification, food processing and mobile phone servicing. They were also given financial and some other requisite supports after training.

“Raziya Sultana, 25, of Dharampur Bazekazla earns around Taka 400-500 per day after making and selling cloth bags for shopping and now she is on the afoot to divert her long-lasting poverty and hunger,” said a local community leader.

Rahima, 30, wife of Rustam Ali of Hetemkha area, told BSS that she
received the training on tailoring.

Now, she has brought some happiness in her four-member family as she earns Taka 500-600 per day after operating a sewing machine at present.

Women Affairs Officer Shahnaj Begum said the project intends to involve the socially backward women to the country’s overall development process and the beneficiary women are becoming self-reliant.

Sharing views on the issue Kolpona Roy, local unit president of Bangladesh Mohila Parishad, said supporting skills development of the poor women in the society for better economic condition is very important.

More emphasis should be given on helping the women to earn additional income and reduce vulnerabilities by making market work better for the poor women.